Dave Matthews Band and upstate New York: A surprisingly perfect combination

It is a
rarity when a musical artist and venue have the perfect chemistry to mesh
together. When it does happen, it is a magical thing. Upstate New York is lucky
enough to have one such artist-venue combination, which perennially excites
thousands.

Since
1994, Dave Matthews Band has played 31 shows at Saratoga Performing Arts Center
in Saratoga Springs. In fact, the band has played two shows per year at SPAC
every year since 2001, with the exception of 2011, when the band didn't go on
tour at all.

Dave
Matthews Band will add two more shows to their SPAC total, when they revisit
the venue May 30 and 31.

Dave
Matthews Band at SPAC has become more symbolic of the start of summer than anything
else for people in New York's capital region. The closest parallel that can be
drawn is the symbolic start of winter after the first snowfall. That is how big
a deal Dave Matthews Band shows are at SPAC.

Why is
this annual event such a big deal for fans?

"Each
time you go to a Dave show, it is a completely different show and experience," said
Kelsey Celeste, a fan from the area. "They are always changing the setlists and
solos."

Other
fans noted the creativity and willingness to "mix it up" the band shows when it
performs at SPAC.

"You can
tell that they really enjoy playing for the crowd and aren't just going through
the motions." Will Mesinger said. "Plus, they usually play a decent mix of new
and old songs on their summer tours."

"It is
one of Dave's and the entire band's favorite places to perform, and they're
always trying new things there," Will Celeste said of the band's passion for
this venue.

The fans
clearly have a passion for the band and feel a connection - to the point of
being on a first name basis with members of the band.

This
passion covers one half of the story, but why does a band from Charlottesville,
Va., have such admiration for a venue and fan base located about 500 miles
north, in a small town near New York's Adirondacks?

The
answer lies in a documentary made by "44 Pictures," titled "Hello Again," which
is named after one of the band's songs. In part two of the documentary, members
of the band explain why they love SPAC so much.

"It is a
great place; we always enjoy it here," said Rashawn Ross, the trumpet player.
"I just think we're comfortable here; creatively there is just so much to draw
from."

Lead
singer, Dave Matthews stated, "The water running through it, and the trees, it
is a beautiful place to be."

Matthews added,
"There's some special shows that have happened for us here."

Outside
of the natural beauty the others spoke of, drummer Carter Beauford elaborated
on the technical side of SPAC. "That building offers a lot acoustically. When
your instruments are sounding good to you, you want to play harder and better."

No matter
how much someone may read or watch about the experience of seeing Dave Matthews
Band at SPAC, the only way to truly understand the atmosphere is to witness it
in person.